Nov. 22, 2007
Billy Rafe Aston
WATER VALLEY: Billy Rafe Aston, age 61, was born May 8, 1946, in Eupora to Oscar and Nell Aston. He passed from this life on November 12, 2007, in the Veteran’s Hospital at Memphis.
He was a four-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served in the Vietnam War from 1964 until December of 1968. He was a member of V.F.W. Post 4100 in Water Valley, a member of the Disabled Veterans of America, and a member of Sylva Rena Baptist Church in Yalobusha County.
The funeral service was held at two o’clock in the afternoon Thursday, November 15, in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks Funeral Home, with Rev. Calvin Miller officiating. Burial was in Pinecrest Cemetery in Calhoun County, with Scott Spence, Stewart Spence, Stephen Spence, Brad Brooks, Travis Brooks, and Willie Pullen as pallbearers.
He is survived by: his wife, Pat Aston of Water Valley; one son, Chris Aston, and his wife, Debra, of Johnston, South Carolina; two daughters, Kerry Aston Sumner, and her husband, Jeremy, and Nikki Aston, all of Water Valley; his mother, Nell Aston Ellingburg, and her husband, George, of Calhoun City; two sisters, Shirley (T.A.) Beckett of Bruce and Bonnie (Joel) Williams of Vardaman; one brother, Robert (Deborah) Aston of Bruce; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Oscar Dee Aston; a brother, William “Jimmy” Aston; and a sister, Mary “Libby” Aston.
Rodney D. Childress
WATER VALLEY: Rodney D. Childress, age 86, died Sunday, November 18, 2007, at Oxford in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi.
Born July 12, 1921, in Panola County, he was a son of the late Allen John and Mable Thomas Childress. He was a World War II Veteran, having served in the United States Navy. Mr. Childress was a retired Vocational Agriculture Teacher and taught in the Water Valley Public School System for many years. He was a member of the Water Valley Church of Christ.
Visitation was held Tuesday, November 20, from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Seven Oaks Funeral Home. A graveside service was held in Oak Hill Cemetery Tuesday, November 20, at two o’clock in the afternoon, with Bro. David Floyd officiating.
Mr. Childress is survived by: his wife, Dale McCurdy Childress of Water Valley; one daughter, Jan C. Townsend and her husband, Paul, III, of Isola; a son, Dr. Rod Childress, Jr., and his wife, Betsy, of Grenada; one sister, Mrs. Katherine Nelson of Batesville; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Shirley Ann Edison
WATER VALLEY: Shirley Ann Edison, age 47, was born on January 13, 1960 in Harvey, Illinois to Dewitt C. and Mary Kay Wiltshire Eidson. She passed from this life on November 18, 2007, in Yalobusha General Hospital at Water Valley.
The funeral service was held in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks Funeral Home at ten o’clock in the morning Tuesday, November 20, with Bro. Freddie Moorman officiating. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery, with Mark Stephen, Daniel Stephen, Frank Hernandez, John Hernandez, Tony Hernandez, Jr., and Eric Rombaugh, as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Anthony Hernandez, Sr. and Joe Stephen.
She leaves: her mother, Mary Kay Eidson Roberts of Water Valley; two sisters, Linda Stephen of Calico Rock, Arkansas and Nancy Hernandez of Water Valley; and two brothers, Dewitt C. Eidson, Jr. of Woodland Park, Colorado and Gerald W. Eidson of Thornton, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her father, Dewitt C. Eidson, Sr.
Dr. William “Bill” Burnam Keith
WATER VALLEY: Dr. William “Bill” Burnam Keith passed away Wednesday morning, November 7, 2007, at the Mississippi Hospital for Restorative Care in Jackson due to complications from heart bypass surgery.
Dr. Keith was born February 15, 1934, to Reverend George and Dove Byrd Keith in Jackson, Kentucky. He graduated from Breathitt High School. Following service in the U.S. Army, he completed his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at Eastern Kentucky University. He completed a Masters of Science in biology at the University of Mississippi. It was at Ole Miss that he met his future wife, the former Elizabeth Snellings of Bruce. They married December 28, 1963.
He received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Zoology from the University of Georgia in 1967 and completed a post-graduate fellowship in steroid biochemistry at the Worchester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. After completing his studies, Bill and Elizabeth settled in Water Valley to raise their family. Dr. Keith joined the faculty of the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi in Oxford in 1968 and remained there until his retirement in 1999.
He was a freemason of Valley City 402 in Water Valley, as well as an Honorary Colonel of the Kentucky State Militia. Dr. Keith enjoyed playing with his grandchildren, debating world history and politics, and smoking his favorite pipe.
He is survived by: his wife, Elizabeth of Water Valley; two daughters, Patricia Keith and Jonathan Pittman of Washington, D.C., Margaret Keith of Annapolis, Maryland; two sons, Billy and Elizabeth Keith of Rome, Georgia, and John and Amy Keith of Evanston, Illinois; and two granddaughters.
He was preceded in death by an infant son, George Emerson Keith.
Funeral services were held Saturday, November 10, in Jackson, Kentucky. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to be made to the University of Mississippi Foundation, William B. Keith Memorial Fund, P. O. Box 249, University, MS 38677.
Thomas Frank Mathis
WATER VALLEY: Thomas Frank Mathis, age 86, died on November 15, 2007, in the Grenada Living Center at Grenada.
He was born April 25, 1921, to Atlas and Ada Edwards Mathis in Water Valley. Mr. Mathis was a veteran, serving in the United States Army from 1943 until 1945. He was a former heavy equipment operator, a Mason, and was a member of the V.F.W.
A graveside service was held in Oak Hill Cemetery at three o’clock in the afternoon Saturday, November 17. Seven Oaks Funeral Home had charge of arrangements.
Survivors include: his daughter, Patsey Mathis of Cleveland; three sisters, Inez Maynor, Odell Maynor, and Jewel Swanson; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two wives: Martha Jane Mathis and May Mathis; two sisters, Merle Smith and Mable Anthony; and five brothers, Rayford, Rayburn, Doolin, Aubrey and Carmon Mathis.
Dr. “Bo” Bojan Milicevic
Dr. “Bo” Bojan Milicevic, M.D., age 49, passed from this life on Monday, November 19, 2007 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital – N MS in Oxford, Mississippi. He was born to Marko and Desa Ilic Milicevic in Prokuplje, Serbia. He has been a dedicated physician for 26 years. He was a member of the A.M.A. Association and Serbian-American Association.
The visitation will be held Tuesday, November 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Seven Oaks Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held Wednesday, November 21, at 11 a.m. in Pinecrest Memorial Gardens, Water Valley, MS conducted by Father John Mashburn of the St. John Orthodox Church in Memphis, TN. Dragomir Nikolic, Jamie Berry, Nemanja-Savic, Veljko Vasilievic, David Burns, Marc McGavock, and Tinny Willson will be serving as pallbearers.
Dr. “Bo” is survived by his wife, Dragica “D.” Milicevic; a daughter, Nada Berry of Springfield, IL; two sons, Marko Milicevic of Water Valley, MS and Dragomir Nikolic of Lexington, KY; a sister, Sladjana Djordjevic of Prokuplje, Serbia; and 3 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Marko Milicevic.
Margaret E. Ostrander
OMAHA, NE: Mrs. Margaret E. Ostrander died November 8, 2007 at the age of 91. She was born October 23, 1916.
Funeral services were held Monday, November 12, 2007, at one o’clock in the afternoon in Braman Mortuary in Omaha. Interment was at 3:15 p.m. on the same date in LaFayette Cemetery in Omaha. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to LaFayette Cemetery.
Mrs. Ostander was preceded in death by: her husband, Joy; a son, Ronald; a son-in-law, Robert Findlay; one sister, Elsie Bowen; and brothers, Keith Weibusch and Dean Weibusch.
She is survived by: a son, John (Diana) Ostrander; two daughters, Jean Findlay and Vicki Ostrander; one brother, Harley Wiebusch, Sr.; eight grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Joe Lee Silas Sigler
WATER VALLEY: Joe Lee Silas Sigler, age 87, of Water Valley died Thursday, November 8, 2007, in Saint Vincent’s Medical Center North in Sherwood, Arkansas.
Born in Drew, to the late Hubbard Silas and Violet Elizabeth Reel Sigler, he was a retired forklift driver (high stacker) and a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during World War II. He was also a lifetime member of the VFW.
The funeral service was held at three o’clock in the afternoon Sunday, November 12, in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks Cemetery with grandsons, David Bauman, Richard Leazer, Jeremy Leazer, Clinton Leazer, Ethan Kachel, John Vance, Jimmy McDonald, and Kenny Sigler, nephew. Roger Holcomb was an honorary pallbearer.
Mr. Sigler is survived by: six daughters, Ethel Virginia Shannon of Cabot, Arkansas, Peggy Ann McDonald of Fresno, California, Linda Carolyn Espinosa of Modesto, California, Kathleen S. “Kathy” Dunn of Water Valley, Barbara Joyce Leazer of Riverbank, California, and Brenda J. Kachel of Ceres, California; one son, Hubbard Claude “Bud” Sigler of Oakdale, California; four sisters, Mary Lee Fraize of Rena Laura, Ella Mae Romantino of Denham Springs, Louisiana, Virginia Whiddon of Summerall, and Evie Louise “Kandace” Norton of Gulfport; four brothers, Lee Andrew “Happy” Sigler of Water Valley, Robert Noel Sigler of Gulfport, Pete Sigler of Bakersfield, California, and Sam Sigler of Gulfport; two step-brothers, Freddie and James White, both of Pontotoc; a step-sister, Laura Mae of Pontotoc; 20 grandchildren; 65 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by two wives, Minnie Lorena Sigler and Gladys Marie Sigler; three brothers, Mike Senate Jenkins, James Williams, and Hubbard Joel Sigler; and a step-brother, Bill White.
Louise T. Wilson
WATER VALLEY: Louise T. Wilson, age 80, died on November 4, 2007, in the Grenada Living Center.
Born March 19, 1927, in Prentiss County, she was a daughter of the late Height and Mary Martin Thorn. She was a member of Anchor Baptist Church in Lafayette County.
The funeral service was held at ten o’clock in the morning Friday, November 9, in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks Funeral Home, with Dr. Gerald Shook and Rev. Jerry Dale Patterson officiating. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery with Michael Wilson, Justin Pullen, Freddie Wilkey, Brian Wilkey, Henry Pullen, Jr., Raymond Little, Tyler Murphy, Jeremy Vance, and Jay Jay Potts as pallbearers.
Mrs. Wilson leaves: one daughter, Paula Louise Pullen; one son, Charles Michael Wilson; seven grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.